Tamarisk in California

Tamarisk, or saltcedar (genus Tamarix), is native to Asia. Introduced in the 1800’s for horticulture and erosion control, tamarisk has since taken over much of the west, including a number of California rivers and wetlands, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.

Tamarisk is easily identified by its thin branches and scaled leaves, giving the tree a feathery look. They can grow to be anywhere from 1-18 m and foliage ranges from dark green to a light grey-green depending on the species.

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